ATHENS Dec 10 (Reuters) - Qatar is interested in Greek
defence companies being privatised and could submit investment
plans when Prime Minister Antonis Samaras visits the Gulf state
early next year, Greece's defence minister said on Monday.

Greece has been slow to sell off assets as agreed with its
international lenders, due to a lack of interest from investors
given its grim economic outlook as well as political reluctance
to push ahead with unpopular reforms.

"Qatar is interested in a series of privatisations regarding
the Greek defence industry," Greek Defence Minister Panos
Panagiotopoulos said in a statement after meeting Qatar's Crown
Prince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha.

"They expect Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' official visit
here in the first few months of 2013, and they believe that the
conditions will then be ripe for specific proposals and
investment plans in our country."

Samaras was initially expected to visit Qatar in November to
discuss investment possibilities in the recession-hit economy
but cancelled his trip at the last-minute due to a crucial
meeting of euro zone finance ministers.

Other investment areas expected to be discussed include real
estate projects such as the Hellenikon project, a 620-hectare
development near central Athens, Europe's largest real estate
project. Qatar Holding, the investment arm of Qatar's sovereign
wealth fund, is participating in the tender of this project.

Greece has promised the European Union and the International
Monetary Fund it will raise 11 billion euros ($14 billion) from
asset sales by the end of 2016, below its previous privatisation
revenue target for 19 billion euros by 2015.